A spokeswoman for police in the Sauerland region east of Cologne said the Learjet with two people on board collided with a German Eurofighter aircraft near the town of Elpe this afternoon.

Bianca Scheer said the fate and the identity of the two people on board the Learjet is not yet known. She said the plane had been chartered by the German military, but was unable to immediately provide further details.

German military spokesman Joerg Langer confirmed that two Eurofighter jets were operating in the area and there had been "contact" with the Learjet. He said the fighter planes landed safely.